1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to draft guards for windows and, more particularly to, a draft guard having a foam seal and integral fins for a window assembly.
2. Description of the Related Art
Fenestration products, such as windows and doors, clearly benefit from weather barriers such as weatherstripping as well as sound and tight fitting interrelational parts and components. Such weather barriers serve not only to prevent drafts, but also deter moisture entry as well as insect, dust and pollen infiltration. Over the years, energy efficiency standards as well as an overall awareness of the environmental benefits of energy efficient fenestration products have furthered the demand for proper and improved weather barriers, seals, and fittings. Many improved weatherstripping products now exist to perimeter seal windows and doors.
While perimeter weatherstrips are necessary and highly beneficial, there are small openings in windows and doors that, without proper seals, can leak air, water, dust, pollen or even insects into the interior airspace of a building. Often these small openings are due to an interoperable mechanical arrangement that may be difficult to seal off without impacting the mechanical functionality between attendant components. One example of such a situation is that of the ever popular double hung window. A double hung window commonly has two sashes that travel vertically in a tracked frame. A spring assembly is often utilized to facilitate ease of vertical travel of each sash. Oftentimes, a pivot bar inserts into a balancer shoe which connects to a spring assembly to allow a sash to tilt out for cleaning. The use of a tracked frame and a traveling sash setup, while practical, creates a break in the weather barrier of the window that allows air, dust, pollen, moisture, or even insects, to travel up the track and into the building. In a strong wind, the track may even create a chimney effect where cold outside air is forced up the track and into the building through the meeting rail and sill areas. Since the sashes and related components move in the track, it has been difficult to properly weather seal this area meeting rail of a double hung window.
It is therefore one desire of the present invention to provide a draft guard that seals the track of a double hung window from environmental factors. It is another desire of the present invention to provide a draft guard that travels with a moveable window sash in a double hung window. It is yet another desire of the present invention to provide a draft guard that works in conjunction with a pivoting sash arrangement for a double hung window. It is still another desire of the present invention to provide a draft guard that does not interfere with normal usage movement of a sash in a double hung window. It is a further desire of the present invention to provide a window balancer with a draft guard. It is yet another desire of the present invention to provide a method of manufacturing a double hung window. Therefore, there is a need in the art to provide a draft guard for a window assembly that meets at least one or all of these desires.